Paddocks for ponies and
biodiversity
ADVISORY NOTE
Countryside Council for Wales (CCW)
David Harries
CCW
A well-managed Wild Meadow, where fine-leaved wild grasses and
wild flowers are allowed to flourish, provides a healthy environment
for ponies and horses. The diversity of herbs, many being deeprooted, provide a high-fibre low-protein diet that is well-suited to
equines. Some herbs, such as Ribwort Plantain and Selfheal, have
medicinal properties, that can help to protect grazing animals from
diseases and parasites.
Wild Meadows are fields full of wild flowers, grasses, rushes and
sedges; they provide a habitat for butterflies, bumblebees as well as
other species including birds, bugs, frogs, toads, grass snakes,
hedgehogs, other small mammals and fungi. Once a common sight,
they are now one of Britain’s most threatened habitats. Changes in
farming practices have affected the way that meadows are
managed; many have been ploughed, intensively grazed, reseeded
with rye-grass, fertilized or sprayed with weedkillers. Wild Meadows
are also threatened by road schemes and urban development.
It is vital that the surviving Wild Meadows, many which are
grazed by horses and ponies, are carefully managed. Good
paddock management will not only benefit wild flowers and
other wildlife, but will prevent pasture damage, reduce
weed infestation and benefit the health and wellbeing of
grazing animals.
Wild
Meadows
Management guidelines for wild meadows
Introduction
Manage grazing
Equines (ponies, horses, mules and donkeys) require a high
fibre and low protein diet, in contrast to modern breeds of
dairy and beef cattle that are bred to produce high yields of
milk or meat. This is an important difference when considering
the feed requirements of horses and ponies.
Avoid keeping too many animals on a small acreage, or leaving
them in one place for too long. Depending on soil type and
other site-specific conditions, ideal stocking numbers could
vary from between one to three acres per horse.
There are many advantages to grazing equines on Wild
Meadows. For instance, the herbaceous plants (wild flowers)
that grow in Wild Meadows retain a high level of digestibility
for longer in the season than do grasses, while some of the
herbs have medicinal properties that will benefit equine
health. Many of the perennial grassland herbs, such as Bird’sfoot Trefoil and Common Knapweed, have extensive roots,
making them drought-tolerant and able to tap into minerals
deep in the soil.
Grasslands containing a good diversity of wild flowers are also
higher in fibre and lower in sugar, protein and calories than
paddocks that have been resown with conventional forage
seed mixes containing predominantly Perennial Rye-grass
and White Clover. Such resown pastures are particularly high
in protein in spring and autumn – a factor which can cause
metabolic disorders in equines, and may adversely affect bone
development in young stock.
Wild meadows more closely resemble the original grasslands
that equines, especially native breeds, are adapted to, so it isn’t
surprising that the risk of obesity and laminitus is likely to be
lower in these near-wild grasslands.
Aim to keep the vegetation (the mixture of grasses, herbs and
flowers that make up a grassland) a minimum of 5cm (two to
three inches) in height while animals are grazing. This length of
growth will benefit the health of the grassland and the grazing
animals. It will also help prevent animal boredom and protect
the grassland from hoof damage (poaching).
Ideally, rotate the areas that are grazed, by dividing the field
with sensitive fencing or having other fields that can be
grazed. If possible, occasionally alternate grazing with other
livestock such as sheep or cattle; this will help reduce long
grasses in latrine areas, aid parasite control, and prevent the
meadow becoming ‘horse-sick’.
Keep management routines flexible so that they can be altered
to cope with different seasonal conditions.
Prevent pasture enrichment
Do not use artificial fertilizers or chicken manure, which will
cause wild flowers to disappear. If needed, well-rotted (for
at least a year) farmyard manure (FYM) can be applied at
10 tonne/ha in alternate years. If used, FYM should be from a
reputable source and free from contamination by pesticides, as
these could harm wild plants growing in the meadow.
The average horse produces nine tonnes of manure a year.
Favoured dunging areas will rapidly become rich in nutrients
that will encourage coarse grasses and weeds, such as nettle
and thistle. Pick up dung daily, or twice weekly, to avoid areas
becoming enriched and to aid parasite control. Gardeners will
appreciate horse dung and may collect it.
Ivy Berkshire
Spring
Grazing can be introduced once the field is sufficiently dry and the vegetation has
grown to at least 10cm (4 inches) tall over most of the field. However, for fields
containing a good diversity of spring flowers, such as Cowslip, Early-purple or Greenwinged Orchids, it will be advantageous to delay introducing grazing until later in
the spring or summer.
Summer
For fields that are not used for hay, if possible, leave some areas of the meadow
ungrazed for six to eight weeks between May and September. This will enable plants
to flower, and some will also be able to set seed. A flower-rich grassland will also be
of great benefit to bees, butterflies and other insects.
If the field is used for a hay crop, ‘close up’ for eight weeks, cutting the herb-rich hay
from mid-July onwards.
Autumn
Remove grazing animals once there is no more standing vegetation for them to eat
and before there is a risk of pasture damage.
Turning out in winter, when there is no
standing vegetation to eat and when
the ground is wet, is a principal cause
of pasture damage. It can result in long
term adverse impacts on the pasture,
by destroying the vegetation and
causing soil compaction.
Ivy Berkshire
Winter
Wild meadows, and paddocks in general, are at high risk of damage if animals are
kept on them when there is no standing or growing vegetation or once the ground
is wet, especially during winter. It may be necessary to source additional turn-out
areas. Winter grazing should always be avoided in fields supporting Marsh Fritillary
butterflies as larval webs will be destroyed by trampling. Pastures on well-drained
ground, where a good amount of standing grass and flower stems remain, may be
able to support light winter grazing.
If possible, confine supplementary feeding to yards or stable areas. Badly sited
feed racks or hay spread on fields where no grass is growing will result in poaching
and the creation of bare ground, especially in areas where animals congregate.
Severe poaching can cause lasting damage, by destroying the perennial vegetation,
exposing the soil and causing soil compaction. This will also encourage weeds
such as thistles, docks, ragwort and Creeping Buttercup. Poaching can also lead to
conditions such as mud fever.
Electric tape can be useful to manage
grazing and prevent pasture damage.
CCW
Ragwort is poisonous to horses and ponies. It should be
pulled and removed, or leaf rosettes spot-sprayed in spring,
ensuring that manufacturers instructions about the removal of
animals during spot treatment are followed. Docks and thistles
(Creeping, Spear) should be controlled by cutting just as they
come into flower, or their leaf rosettes spot-sprayed when
young using an appropriate herbicide applied using a handheld sprayer or weed wiper. Monitor soft rush growth, cutting
in August if the rush is encroaching. Many ‘specific’ herbicides
will often kill non-target wild flowers and should never be
applied using a spray boom.
Managing your grassland will be
more interesting and enjoyable
if you can identify the plants that
grow there. Understanding the
vegetation will also help you get
the best out of your paddock,
for the benefit of your ponies
and the local wildlife it may
support. Flora locale’s Advisory
Note, Discover wild plants, will
introduce you to the basic
principles of finding out about
wild plants in your meadow.
Sue Everett
Refer to www.defra. gov.uk/rural/horses/topics/ragwort.htm for
the Code of Practice on how to prevent the spread of Ragwort
and guidance on disposal options for Common Ragwort.
Increasing the wild-plant diversity of
your meadow
For paddocks that do not currently support many wild plants,
it may be possible to introduce some wild grasses and flowers,
and by this means improve the wildlife value and fibre content
of the grassland. Information on how to achieve this, by
introducing seed, can be obtained from other advisory notes
published by Flora locale, that are accessible via the Wild
Meadows website.
Selfheal
Bob Gibbons
Know your plants
Sue Everett
Weed control
Common Knapweed
Ribwort Plantain
Paula Graham
Further information
If your animals graze a Wild Meadow, and you would like
advice on how best to manage it for the benefit of its wild
flowers and other wildlife, please consult the information, or
contact one of the organisations, listed below.
❀ Grazing Advice Partnership (GAP):
www.grazinganimalsproject.org.uk.
GAP in Wales: Pori Natur a Threftdaeth (PONT).
Email: [email protected], tel: 01550 740 333.
❀ Flora locale Advisory Notes:
Grazing for wild plants and biodiversity.
Restoring wildflower grasslands in Wales.
Discover wild plants.
❀ Wild about meadows. A manifesto for the wild meadows of
Wales. 2008. Flora locale and the Grasslands Trust.
❀ Wild Meadows website, www.wildmeadows.org.uk for links
to all the above and many other resources.
❀ The Local Wildlife Trust for your area: www.wildlifetrusts.org.
❀ Managing grass for horses. The responsible owner’s guide.
Elizabeth O’Beirne-Ranelagh. Pub. J.A. Allen. £25 – order via
www.buy.at/wildflowers.
❀ British Horse Society: www.bhs.org.uk. For information on
horse health and grazing.
Flora locale’s Wild Meadows Initiative
This aims to promote the restoration, good management
and appreciation of wildflower grasslands. The Wild
Meadows Initiative for Wales is funded by The Countryside
Council for Wales and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
www.wildmeadows.org.uk
Flora locale, Postern Hill Lodge, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 4ND
Tel: 01672 515723 Email: [email protected] www.floralocale.org
Flora locale seeks to restore wild plants and wild-plant communities to lands and landscapes across the UK, and by
this means raise the biodiversity, environmental quality and enjoyment of town and countryside.
Flora locale is a UK registered company 3539595; a charity registered in England and Wales (1071212) and in Scotland (SC039001). This Advisory Note was funded by the Countryside Council for Wales
and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. © Flora locale 2009. This note may be reproduced freely but not published or used for financial gain without prior permission from Flora locale.